This summer, the CAE project “Pro-CCS: Microfunding Cultural and Creative Sectors“ will hold a distance training course for professionals in the cultural and creative sectors (CCS). The course will be broken into a series of modules with materials dedicated to professionals working in the CCS, aimed at helping them to start or develop their creative activities into sustainable businesses. The development of the training course was motivated by the need to enable and empower CCS professionals to acquire necessary business and marketing knowledge in order to enhance their connection to various stakeholders.
The Pro-CCS project aims to support the overall cultural and creative sectors (CCS) by bridging the skills gap of professionals in the sector and connecting them with the business and microfinance sectors. The aim of Pro-CCS is to support cultural entrepreneurs in the implementation and financing of their business ideas. In addition to the distance training course, Pro-CCS will also develop a training course for business development tutors, a toolkit for financial intermediators to support business start-ups in CCS, as well as a conference to bring the findings of the project’s research to policymakers.
Alongside its toolkit for business development tutors, Pro-CCS has been sharing regular articles, which share accessible insights into the cultural sector and its’ need for microfinance. Check out some of the project’s focus areas and click for more reading:
Sticking to Culture and Creativity
Cultural and creative sectors include all sectors whose activities are based on cultural values or artistic and creative expressions. Essentially, CCSs have an impact on every part of human expression, including education, health and notions of community. Over the past few years, more and more evidence-based analyzes have shown us the importance of CCSs in our economy. Read more…
CCS, CCI, ITCS & CI, Oh My!
It can get confusing trying to define exactly what all the parts of the cultural and creative ecosystem are, especially when there are so many acronyms floating around, all of them different, yet still related. One of the biggest distinctions to make is between the cultural and creative sectors (CCSs) and the cultural and creative industries (CCIs). CCSs include sectors whose activities are based on cultural, artistic or creative values. The activities may include the development, creation, production, dissemination or preservation of goods and services which embody cultural, artistic, or other creative expressions.CCIs, on the other hand, refer to those parts of the modern economy where culture is produced and distributed through industrial means, applying the creativity of individuals and groups to the generation of original cultural products. Read more…
Culture Matters
There is immense intrinsic value to culture, often unquantifiable within the bounds of extrinsic economic outputs and numerations. However, culture also has its own set of internal values, which contribute further to its external value creation. While the EU remains dedicated to the community-based values of civil rights, freedom, human dignity, justice, equality and democracy, culture has the power to convey these abstract values, communicating them to EU citizens, as well as to the outside world. Beyond passive transmission, culture’s real power is demonstrated through active participation, which has the potential to mobilize citizens and stimulate civic debate. Culture opens minds by showing alternative perspectives and at the same time empowers individuals and communities by strengthening their democratic skills. Grassroots cultural activities, civil society engagement and socio-cultural operations are key in this respect. Culture is therefore capable of preparing EU citizens to support and shape the future of Europe. Read more…
Getting Creative with Microfinance
Ever wondered why microfinancing for the cultural and creative sectors is so important? Cultural and creative sectors (CCSs) are uniquely defined by having a larger number of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in comparison to other sectors. Microfinancing can be a great way of boosting the sectors’ growth. Due to a number of factors like average business size, lack of capital and the perceived invisibility of value, the average SME in the CCS operates in a precarious environment with limited funding. As a result, growth in the CCSs requires creative and innovative solutions. Read more…
Connecting the dots: CCS‘ relationships with other sectors
The cultural and creative sectors (CCS) have immense potential to create and benefit from cross-sectoral synergies, including boosting social and civic engagement in public spaces. Understanding the impacts of these relationships across sectors helps figure out how to drive growth in CCS and unlock future opportunities. Read more…
Culture Club: How cultural networks create value
As with any successful enterprise or organisation, having a proper support system in place is key to unlocking opportunities and realising potential, both in terms of value creation and relationship-building. One such support system is cultural networks, which represent and help develop the Cultural and Creative Sectors (CCS). There is a myriad of these networks which include networks at the European level, Production Networks, CCS Pedagogical & Information networks, Networks for Services Organizations and Representative networks. Given the large presence of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the CCS, these SMEs stand to benefit greatly from taking part in a cultural network. SME or not, any cultural enterprise has the opportunity to leverage the support of a network in regard to production, advocacy, and collaboration. Read more…
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